Aeroplane



March 31, 1931. P 1,799,088

AEROPLANE Filed Nov. 30, 1929 mvsnrrok g-ianni (fap'ronz I BY ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES GIANN I CAPRONI, QF ROME, ITALY AEROPLAN E Application filed November 30, 1929, Serial No. 410,836, and in Italy November 30, 1928.

In chaser aeroplanes in which the pilot himself handles the machine-gun, the latter is integral with the aeroplane and the sighting is effected by means of a special telescope, the aeroplane and the machine-gun moving conjointly. In consequence of this manner of working chaser aeroplanes are only armed with machine-guns turned forward, so that the pilot is unable to fire against an aeroplane in the rear, but he is compelled to veer round in order to face his adversary.

The present invention does away with this inconvenience, providing chaser aeroplanes with two machine-guns, or two groups of machine-guns, both of them integral with the aeroplane, one of which is arranged as usual for forward firing and the other one for rear-firing, both machine-guns being combined with a sighting device controlled by the pilot who can make use of either the one or the other machine-gun according to circumstances.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates schematically a practical embodiment of the present invention:

Fig. 1 shows, in side elevation, the outline of an aeroplane provided with the two machine-guns and the sighting device, which latter is shown, on a larger scale, in plane in Fi 2 and/in side elevation in Fig. 3.

s may be seen in Fig. 1, the chaser aeroplane, according tothe present invention, is provided with two machine-guns 1 and 2, both firmly-fastenedto the aeroplane, the first one of which is directed forward and the second one to the rear, but having axes parallel between each other and parallel with the optical axis of a sightin telescope 3 which is placed before the p" 0t and directed forwards. The pilot uses this telescope when firing with the machine-gun 1 turned forward.

In order tofire with machine-gun 2 a mirror is provided, turned towards the rear, by means of which the pilot is able to overlo'ok the space behind. Having by this means become aware of the presence of an enemy machine, he brings to the vertical position, shown in Fig. 3, an auxiliary prismatic telescope 5 which is usually in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2. This telescope by means of tworectangular isosceles prisms, one placed at the upper opening and the other one at the lower opening which is situated before the objective of the sighting telescope 3, deviating by 180 degrees a ray of incident light, enables the pilot to aim at the pursuing aeroplane looking through telescope 3, and to turn upon it machine-gun 2.

Within reach of the pilots hand are placed the usual controlling devices for firing both with machine-gun 1 and machine-gun 2.

Claims:

1. An aeroplane comprising in combination machine guns mounted invariably on the aeroplane and with their axes parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane, the guns in front of the air man being arranged to fire in the direction of flight, the others in the opposite direction, and means consisting in a. sighting telescope and a movable prism placed in front of the air man to enable him to aim at any objects placed in front or at the back of the aeroplane.

2. In the aeroplane according to claim 1 an arrangement allowing the sighting telescope to be directed towards objects at the back of the machine, consisting of an auxiliary telescope with two prisms which deviate by 180 degrees a ray of light, the said auxiliary telescope being arranged in such a manner that, when it is necessary to aim backwards, its end with the emersion prism may be brought before the objective of the sighting telescope.

Intestimony whereof I have affixed my signature this 16th day of November, 1929.

GIANNI CAPRONI. 

